Winnipeg Jets head coach Claude Noel wasn't impressed with a goaltender interference penalty on Blake Wheeler the fans watch the replay of on the scoreboard during the third period against the Tampa Bay Lightning at MTS Centre in Winnipeg on Sun., March 24, 2013.

KEVIN KING

Zach Bogosian (right) of the Winnipeg Jets keeps an eye on Dana Tyrell of the Tampa Bay Lightning at MTS Centre in Winnipeg on Sun., March 24, 2013.

KEVIN KING

Winnipeg Jets defenceman Zach Bogosian (right) grabs the sweater of Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period at MTS Centre in Winnipeg on Sun., March 24, 2013.

KEVIN KING

Tobias Enstrom of the Winnipeg Jets stops Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning at MTS Centre in Winnipeg on Sun., March 24, 2013.

KEVIN KING

Pierre-Cedric Labrie (left) of the Tampa Bay Lightning is pushed to the outside by Winnipeg Jets defenceman Derek Meech at MTS Centre in Winnipeg on Sun., March 24, 2013.

KEVIN KING

Dana Tyrell of the Tampa Bay Lightning goes over Winnipeg Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec while Zach Bogosian (left) looks on at MTS Centre in Winnipeg on Sun., March 24, 2013.

Ondrej Pavelec brought the fans out of their seats with his second-period glove save on Cory Conacher of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The replay on the scoreboard brought them out of their seats again.

The Winnipeg Jets goalie bounced back from a couple of so-so games against the Washington Capitals and was back to being one of the team’s best players in Sunday’s 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

He only faced 25 shots from the high-powered Lightning, but many of his saves were of the highlight-reel variety, particularly the one on the shifty Conacher, who tried a backhand deke but couldn’t get it past the glove.

“Actually I wanted to put my stick down and poke check him but I missed and he did a good move and just put it into my glove,” Pavelec said. “If he goes to the other side it would be goal but I kinda stuck on top of the crease and I tried to make the save. I was happy I was able to make that save. After that we played smart enough to win the game.”

While Bryan Little was clearly the first star of this game with his goal, two assists, dominance in the faceoff circle and tremendous penalty killing, Pavelec is always the Jets most important player.

As he goes, so go the Jets.

GETTING ON THE BOARD

Pavelec has a simple way for the Jets to win every night.

“We have to score first to get a win,” he said.

The Jets are 11-4-1 when they score first, 6-10-1 when the opposition scores first. They obviously don’t always win when they get on the board first but seem to play a much more comfortable game when they do.

“I don’t know why but it’s always when we score the first goal, we have a better chance to win,” Pavelec said. “It’s been like that all year.”

TOUGH ON COACHES

It somehow doesn’t seem fair that a coach like Tampa Bay’s Guy Boucher gets fired in a short season when there was almost no training camp, no exhibition games and there’s no time to practice.

Jets coach Claude Noel says things have been upside down from the beginning.

“It’s been a strange season this year, in a lot of ways,” Noel said Sunday before the game against the Lightning. “I remember at the beginning, saying you’d have to coach by the seat of your pants and that’s pretty much what you’re doing. It’s just a different season. You do things that you just don’t do, you’ve just got to try and see how things are going.”

WHAT’S THIS? INJURY TALK?

In an organization that qualifies anything from brain surgery to a hang nail as an upper body injury, Ron Hainsey’s frank conversation with reporters Sunday was refreshing. Hainsey took the morning skate before Sunday’s game but when asked by a reporter afterwards if he would play he said: “No.” … Pressed for more, he said: “I can’t handle the puck, can’t shoot or take a pass. Just an unlucky break. I got a puck in the hand trying to protect my face.” Hainsey said the bruise to his left hand won’t keep him out long term … Two Jets celebrated birthdays Sunday, but hockey-wise neither was happy. LW James Wright went on IR with his undisclosed injury and Hainsey sat out with his bruised hand … Toby Enstrom, who has missed 19 games, has five more points than centre Olii Jokinen, who has played them all. That just about says it all doesn’t it? … Defenceman Mark Stuart also took the gameday skate but couldn’t play. The Jets got good performances from their blue-liners, especially Grant Clitsome, who showed a lot of poise late in the game with the home team nursing a one-goal lead.

BAD PENALTY, BAD TIMING

Chris Thorburn has got to be smarter. The Jets had a 2-0 lead and all the momentum and he picked that time to take a kneeing penalty along the boards in the offensive zone. That just can’t happen, especially when Tampa Bay has Steven Stamkos and he scores seven seconds later on the power play … Nik Antropov took a slashing retaliation penalty shortly after the Jets went up 3-1. Yes, it should have been a holding call on Tom Pyatt of the Lightning, but still, the Jets can’t be taking those kinds of penalties when leading by two goals … Enstrom is a difference maker. The Jets power play instantly looked more comfortable with him on the ice. And he scored one of the prettiest goals of the Jets season. Andrew Ladd and Little started it with a terrific 4-on-4 cycle down low and Ladd made just a beautiful pass to Enstrom sneaking in from the blue-line. He went upstairs to make it 3-1. Big, big goal. Eventual winner … Little was a demon shorthanded, setting up Ladd for a great chance on a 2-on-1 in the second and breaking in off the wing for a great chance in the third … Good thing this Lightning right winger isn’t a defenceman with a name like Richard Panik. Still better than Pylon though … The Lightning had to play on the same day their head coach was fired. It’s fair to say they showed enough jump to win but just aren’t good enough to be a playoff team right now. Even with two of the best forwards in the league in Stamkos and Martin St. Louis. Scoring isn’t everything.

As Advertised in the Winnipeg SUN

As Ondrej Pavelec goes, so go the Winnipeg Jets

Ondrej Pavelec brought the fans out of their seats with his second-period glove save on Cory Conacher of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The replay on the scoreboard brought them out of their seats again.

The Winnipeg Jets goalie bounced back from a couple of so-so games against the Washington Capitals and was back to being one of the team’s best players in Sunday’s 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

He only faced 25 shots from the high-powered Lightning, but many of his saves were of the highlight-reel variety, particularly the one on the shifty Conacher, who tried a backhand deke but couldn’t get it past the glove.

“Actually I wanted to put my stick down and poke check him but I missed and he did a good move and just put it into my glove,” Pavelec said. “If he goes to the other side it would be goal but I kinda stuck on top of the crease and I tried to make the save. I was happy I was able to make that save. After that we played smart enough to win the game.”